19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Submissions open for Mise-en-scene Short Film Festival
Korea's premier short film fest returns after four-year hiatus, revamps program with homage to landmark Korean films
The Mise-en-scene Short Film Festival is accepting submissions through June 19. Filmmakers can submit works under 30 minutes, completed after Jan. 1, 2024, through the festival's online portal.
Applicants must select one of five genres: social drama, romance/melodrama, comedy, horror/fantasy, or action/thriller. Finalists will be announced in September following preliminary and final jury screenings.
The October event marks the festival's arrival after a four-year hiatus. Founded in 2002, MSFF suspended operations after its 20th edition in 2021. Long seen as a springboard for rising filmmakers, the festival has helped launch the careers of industry names like Na Hong-jin ("The Wailing"), Jang Jae-hyun ("Exhuma"), Yoon Jong-bin ("The Spy Gone North," "The Match") and Um Tae-hwa ("Concrete Utopia").
Now in its 21st edition, the festival is organized by film magazine Cine21 with Naver stepping in as the new main sponsor, replacing previous backer Amorepacific.
For this edition, MSFF has revamped its section titles, replacing references to international cinema with nods to acclaimed Korean genre films. The social drama section has been renamed 'Take Care of My Cat,' while romance is now 'Jealousy Is My Middle Name,' comedy 'Conduct Zero,' horror/fantasy 'Epitaph' and action/thriller 'Nowhere to Hide.'
"We've moved from foreign classics to Korean films of the 2000s that inspired the current generation of filmmakers," the organizers said.
A new executive committee of seven filmmakers is overseeing the festival: Jang Jae-hyun, Han Jun-hee, Yoon Ga-eun, Um Tae-hwa, Lee Sang-geun, Yi Ok-seop and Cho Sung-hee.
